Slice construction for papermaking machines



4 sheets-sheet.

lw. R. KELLE'r-r ErAL sLIcE cons'rnUcTIon Fon PABERMAKING MAcHINEs FiledMarch 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 w. R. KELLET-r Erm.

sLIE CONSTRUCTION Fon PAPERMAKING MACHINES- Filed March 10, 1939'Mezzana momma 2, 1941. w. R. KELLETT ETAL SLICE COI-ISTRUCTION FORPAPERMAKING MACHINES Filed March 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Deu '2, 1941-w. R. KELLETr Erm. 2,264,941

/ SLICE CONSTRUCTION FOR PAPERMAKING MACHINES .Filed uarch 1Q. 193s v 4snags-sheet 4 Patented Dec. 2, 1941y 2,264,941 suCE CoNs'raUC'i'ioN ronPAPERMAKINC MACHINES William R. Kelle,

Menasha, and Huron C. Brien,

Neenah, Wis., assignors to Paper Patents Coma corporation of Wisconsin KApplication March 10, 1939, Serial No. 260,956

(c1. :iz-44) chine direction, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

pany, Neenah, Wis.,

Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to the art of paper making machines of theFourdrinier type, and has reference more particularly to the slice thatcontrols the fiow and distribution of the stock onto the Wire. VTheinvention is of especial value in high speed machines for making verythin paper such as tissue paper, crepe wadding, and the like.

The general object .of the present invention has been to provide animproved hydraulic inlet system that will produce an equal rate of flowacross the width of the paper machine and will compensate for theslightly varying inequalities of ow that characterize inlet systemswhich afford an approximately uniform rate of flow. 'I'his has in ameasure been heretofore accomplished by the use of a exible inclinedslice the lower edge of which is adjustable vertically at many pointsalong its length. In accordance with the present invention the slice isaflexible vertical member which is not flexedvertically, but means areprovided to warp the slice in a horizontal or machine direction. Suchadjustment longitudinally ,of the machine serves to. vary the formingarea and hence'the weight of sheet deposited on any given area of thewire. It also tends to deflect the stock in such a way as to compensatefor any inequalities in flow distribution. By utilizing thesecharacteristics it is possible to obtain a paper sheet of equal basisweight across its entire width.

Other objects of the invention have been to provide, in combination witha flexible slice as above described, a manually adjustable means forfinely adjusting the height of the lower edge of the slice from the wireand preventing or correcting any sag of the slice or deflection due tohydraulic pressure, and a power means for effecting a quick raising ofthe slice to prevent injury to the same and the wire when the stock flowis shut off; and also to provide an improved means for effectivelysealing the side 'edges of the slice and slice carrier against lateralescape of stock. f

A practical and approved embodiment of the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of thestock inlet of a paper making machine equipped with our improved slice,the same being broken out between its sides.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the offset line 2-2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section through the slicecarrier and slice and the means for warping the latter horizontally inthe mature that includes parallel vertical side walls and Fig. 4 is anenlarged fragmentary front elevation, partly broken out and in verticalsection on the offset line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section enlarged taken on the line 6-6of Fig. 2.

Fig. '1 is a perspective view of the flexible slice and associatedparts.

Our present improvements are herein shown applied to a paper makingmachine substantially like that forming the subject matter of thepending application of William R. Kellett and Harry M. Ostertag, SerialNo. 94,516, led August 6, 1936; but they are, of course, applicable toany paper making machines of the Fourdrinier type.

Referring to Fig. 2, I0 designates a vertically adjustable bracket thatis attached to the front wall Il of a horizontally adjustable inletstruca goose-neck spout between and in part formed by said side walls, afragment of the top and bottom walls of said spout being indicated at l2and I3 respectively. i4 designates the breast roll, I5 the first tableroll, and i6 the Fourdrinier Wire.

On the lower edge of the bracket l0 is a rib i1, to the opposite sidesof which are secured, as by clamp strips I8, a pair of fiber strips I9that Aextend below the rib l1 and are formed in their opposed faces withbearings for a brass pintle rod 20. Referring to Fig. 3, attached to thepintle rod 20 as by rivets 2| is the rear narrow end or shank of a slicecarrier casting that has the cross-sectional form illustrated in Fig. 3,said casting having a. downwardly and forwardly extending fiat portion22 constituting an upper nozzle plate and a relatively high hollowforward extension 23 of inverted U-shape. The rear wall of the extension23 is formedwith a countersunk seat 24 in which is seated the upperportion of a flexible vertically disposed thin steel slice 25, that issecured to its seat by a number of machine screws 26 (Fig. 5) thatextend through a fastening strip 21 (see also Fig. '1), the slice 25,and into tapped holes in the casting 23. Also attached by screws 29 tothe front face of the slice 25 belowand extending parallel with thestrip 21, is a row of laterally spaced forwardly projecting bearingbrackets 3l)` (Fig. 7). Secured to the frontfface of the strip 21 as byscrew bolts 3| (Fig. 3) are a corresponding group of bearing brackets32. .Also attached to the front screws 33 are a plurality of brackets 34that serve as a support and backing for a sheet metal shield 35, havingside wings 35' (Fig. 5). This shield 35 is attached to the brackets 34as by soldering, spot welding, or otherwise, and serves to prevent theslice adjusting mechanism from becoming clogged or plugged with stock.

Pivoted in the lower ends of the brackets 32 as by pivot pins 36 (Figs.4 and 5) are a group of levers. each comprising parallel spaced sidelimbs 31 and a-connecting web 38, the cross-sectionalform of the latterbeing shown in Fig. 3, wh'ere it will be seen that the web 33 terminatesat its upper end below the upper endl of the side limbs 31. The lowerends of the side limbs 31 are vertically slotted. as shown at 33 in Fig.3. to form forks that straddle pivot pins 40 that are mounted in thelower bearings 30. Journaled on a pin 4i mounted in the upper 4end ofeach lever is the head 42 of an eye-bolt 43. the threaded stem of whichis engaged by a ball nut 44 (Fig. 3) that is rotatably mounted on abearing in the front wall of the casting portion 23. This bearing isconveniently formed by a conical seat 45 in the wall itself and anopposed conical seat 43 in a cap or cover member 41 that is detachablysecured to the casting wall by machine screws 48 (Fig. 4). The ball nut44 has a forwardly projecting neck 49, keyed on which by a set screw 50is an operating handle preferably in the form oi a. hand wheel i.

The above described means for rocking the'le-I vers aiords `a micrometerslice adjustment by flexing th'e lower portion of the slice below thebottom of the slice carrier locally and horizontally in the machinedirection; the considerable number of independent adjusting deviceslocated side by side for the full width of the slice making it possibleto warp the slice in the manner and to the small extent required to veryevenly and uniformly distribute the stock over the wire as the lattertravels beneath the lower edge of the slice, and preventing theformation of relatively thick and thin areas in the deposited fiber maton the wire.

The invention also includes manually operated vertical adjustments atvarious points along the carrier to correct for sagging and forhydraulic pressure deflection, and for raising and lowering the sliceand its carrier as a unit. It also preferably includes a power operatedmeans for quickly raising the slice to prevent injuring the wire and thelower edge o f the slice when the stock is shut oii and the hydraulicpressure relieved. As a result of the fact that, in the machineillustrated herein, the slice operates with the lower edge of the slicealmost in contact with the wire. and the further fact that the highstock pressure employed (equivalent to approximately a seventyiive inchhead) bends the wire downwardly so that th'e lower edge of the slice isbelow a line tangent to the top of the breast roll and the first tableroll, as shown in Fig. 2, it has been found necessary to provide a quickacting means for raising the slice to prevent injuring the wire andlower edge of the slice when the stock is shut on and the hydraulicpressure relieved, with the resultant tendency of the wire to resume thestraight line position between these rolls.

Describing first the manual adjusting means.

which closely follows that shown in the Kellett and Ostertag applicationabove identified. 32 designates each of a pair of forked brackets thatare mounted near the sides of the machine on each of a pair of arms thatare pivoted at I4 to th'e brackets 52 and are formed'at their free endswith collars that embrace sleeve nuts 53. Extending through each of thesleeve nuts I3 is a threaded rod 51, the lower end of which is pivotedat 58 to a forked lug I3 on the upper edge of a hollow horizontallyextending bar 30. Extending crosswise through the bar 60 are a pluralityoi depending rods 6| (Fig. 1), the lower ends of which are pivoted at 62to forked brackets I3 attached to the iront face of the slice carriercasting 23. The upper portions of the rods 3l are threaded to receiveupper and lower adjusting and clamping nuts 34 and 55, by manipulationof which each rod 6I may be independently adjusted up or down asrequired. Fast with each of the sleeve nuts I6 is a hand wheel Ilthrough which vertical adjustment of the slice as a whole is effected byraising or lowering the bar 30. A considerable number of the adjustingrods 6|, quite closely spaced, are employed to effect local verticaladjustments of the slice and take out any sag therein. It may be notedthat the rigidity of the U-type beam forming the body of the slicecarrier precludes any but very minute local vertical adjustments.Nevertheless. in wide machines a slight sag may occur, even with thisU-type beam, and such local adjust- 4ments are therefore desirable.

The sleeve nuts I3 are normally held rigid by mechanism constitutingpart of the quick adjusting means. which will next be described.

Journaled in and between the upper ends of the brackets 52 is a shaft61, fast on each end of which, between the two limbs of each bracket 52,is an eccentric 33. Mounted on and suspended from the eccentric 33 is alink 6l, the lower end of which is pivoted at 10 to the arm 5Iapproximately mid-length of the latter. The links Il thus normallymaintain the arms 33 in a substantially horizontal position, as shown inFig. 2. Mounted on a pillow block'1l in turn supported on the bracket IIis a quick release electric motor 12, which, through a speed reducer 13,operates a gear fast on shaft 61. In practice, the motor 12 is wired toa push button or other switch within convenient reach of the attend-1ant of the machine so that, when the stock is shut oif. the motor 13 isenergized for a sumcient period. to turn shaft 31 and rock theeccentrics 33 upwardly through approximately ninety degrees, and thiseects a quick raising of the slice carrier and its slice and manualoperating mechanism to substantially the dotted line posithe top wall ofthe bracket I0. and 53 designates 75 tion indicated in Fig. 2, whereinthe lower free edge of theslice 2l is free of tensional drag thereon bythe wire I3.

As a result of operating under a high stock pressure with the result ofa sag in the wire under the slice. it is necessary to have effectiveseals at the side edges of the slice carrier and its flexible slice toprevent the stock squirting out at these points when the wire is underpressure, and t0 `exert equal pressure on the edge portions of the wireoutside the inlet. These seals, which are generally similar to the sealsdisclosed in the Kellett and Ostertag application above identified, arein the general nature of rubber shOd shoes that. in the present case,are connected to the ends of the flexible slice 2l and, of course.partake of the movements of the latter.

Describing these seals. as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the vertical sidewalls of the inlet extend forwardly opposite the ends of the slicecarrier and the upper attached portion of the slice, such exv. avoidsthe formation of ripples of water on the tensions being designated 1I,and to the' lower edge of each side wall extension is attached, as byscrews (Fig. 6) an angle bar stiiening strip 16. Attached to each endedge of the exible slice 25 is a flat metal plate 11, the attachingmeans consisting of a block 18 (Fig. 7) fastened to the inner side ofthe forward end of plate 11 as by screws 19 (Figs.'4 and '1), and itselfattached to the slice as by screws 80 (Fig. 4) The rear portion of plate11 extends across the inner` edge of the stiiening bar 16 and a portionof the wall 14, as shown in Fig. 3. Mounted in and extending on theouter side of plate 11 isa threaded stud BI (Fig. 6) which, by means ofa wing nut 82, clamps to the outer side of plate 11 a cast metal shoehousing 6 3 open at its bottom and containing a vulcanized rubber pad64, that projects below the bottom of the housing and the lower surfaceof which conforms to the bend of the wire I6, as shown in Fig. 3. Thepad 84 is formed with a transverse hole v65 through which the stud 8|extends. The wire, of course, exerts a forward drag on the sole of thepad, and to prevent displacement of the latter from its metal housing 83the latter is formed with one or more internal cross ribs 86 (Fig. 3)that occupy slots in the pad, and the latter is also preferably formedon its rear end with a tail hook 84 (Fig. 3) that overlaps the rear endof the top wall of the housing. The pad may be strongly adhered tothehousing during the vulcanizing process. The joint between the plate 11and the longitudinal edge of the upper nozzle plate 22 (Fig. 6) is alsosealed by a rubber strip 81 fitted in a groove 68 formed in the upperside of the nozzle plate and overlying 'y the joint, and secured inplace by a clamp strip 89 tted in a wider groove 90 formed in the upperside of the nozzle plate. Between the rear end of the angle strip 16 anda guard rail- 9i, which flanks a side edge of the stationary bottomspout wall I3 is secured a wooden block 92 that backs the rear portionof plate 11 against the side pressure of the stock.

The labove described seal has been found very effective to preventlateral escape of the flowing stock as it is discharged onto' the wireat `and beyond the breast roll, and as it extends but slightly beyondthe lower edge of the slice it wire such as is caused by deckle strapsthat injure the wet surface web formation.

Some of the advantages obtained by this type of slice are the following:When web formation takes place within the inlet, as in this machine andthat of the Kellett Patent No. 2,134,408, it is possible to shortenconsiderably the length of the Fourdrinier wire. If an inclined slice isused in connection with this system, the adjustment to obtain an equalbasis weight across the entire width of the machine involves raising orlowering various sections of the inclined slice. This means that agreater or less amount of stock is spouted out of the inlet onto thewire, and this in a sense defeats the object of formation within theinlet. It causes a wet streak of stock to be carried down the wire, andincreases the time=required to complete formation of the sheet.

The above noted Patent No. 2,134,408 explains the theory of formationwithin the inlet, and mentions that the ideal condition is to spout justenough stock onto the wire out of the inlet to lubricate the alreadyformed layer of stock. This ideal condition is somewhat defeated by theuse of an inclined slice. 'I'he theory of varying the 75 forming area toequalize the basis weight of the sheet across thewidth of the machineavoids this difficulty. It is not necessary to flow a heavier volume ofstock out of the inlet at various points across its width in order toequalize the basis weight.

It is evident that changes in the structural details may be made withoutdeparting from the operative principle or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention. Hence, we reserve all such variations,modifications, and mechanical equivalents as fall within the spirit andpurview of the claims.

We claim:

1. In a hydraulic inlet for Fourdrinier pape making machines, thecombination with an inlet structure, of a slice carrier pivotallymounted on the forward end of said structure and disposed forwardly ofthe top tangent point of the wire on th e breast 1 'oll of the machine,a substantially vertical thin exible steel slice mounted on andprojecting below the lower edge of said slice carrier, a strip mountedon and lengthwise of the front side of the upper portion of said slice,and a plurality of independently'operable laterally spaced devices forlocally flexing the projecting portion of said slice in the machinedirection, each of said devices comprising upper and lower bearingbrackets secured respectively to said strip and the downwardlyprojecting portion of the` slice, a pin mounted in said lower bracket,an upright lever fulcrumed between its ends on said upper bracket andhaving a slotted lower end straddling said pin, and a micrometeradjusting means connectedv to the upper end of said lever.

2. In a hydraulic inlet for Fourdrinier paper making machines, thecombination with an inlet structure, of a slice carrier pivotallymounted on the forward end of said structure and disposed forwardly ofthe top tangent point of the wire on the breast roll of the machine,said slice carrier having a relatively high hollow forward extension ofinverted U-shape, a substantially vertical thin flexible steel slicemounted on and projecting below the lower edge of said slice carrier,and a plurality of independently operable laterally spaced devices forlocally flexing the projecting portion of said slice in the machinedirection, each of said devices comprising upper and lower bearingbrackets secured respectively to said slice carrier and the' downwardlyprojecting portion of said slice, an uprlght lever fulcrumed between itsends on said upper bearing bracket, a pin and slot connection of thelowery end of said lever to said lower bracket, and micrometer adjustingmeans for said lever comprising a pin mounted in the upper end of saidlever, a ball nut mounted inthe front wall of said extension and havinga `forwardly projecting-neck extending beyond said front wall, athreaded eye-bolt pivoted on said last named pin and engaged with saidnut, an a handle fast on said neck.

3. In a hydraulic inlet for Fourdrinier paper making machines, thecombination with an inlet structure, of a downwardly and forwardlyinclined slice carrier forming an upper nozzle plate t pivoted on theforward end of said structure and projecting forwardly of the toptangent point of the wire on the breast roll of the machine, said slicecarrier having a relatively high hollow fory ward extension of invertedU-shape, a substan-` tially.vertical flexible slice having its upperportion mounted on the forward end of the nozzle plate portion of-saidslice carrier and its lower portion extending downwardly into closeproximity to the wire, and means for warping said lower portion of saidslice, said means comprising a strip mounted on and lengthwise oi' thefront side of said upper portion of the slice, and a plurality oflaterally spaced devices for locally iiexing the lower portion of saidslice in the machine direction, each of said devices comprising upperand lower bearing brackets secured respectively to said strip and saidlower portion o! the slice, a pin mounted in said lower bracket, anupright lever fulcrumed between its ends on said upper bracket andhaving a slotted lower end straddling said pin, a pin mounted in theupper end of said lever, a ball nut mounted in the front wall of saidextension and having a neck extending beyond said front wall. a threadedeye-boit pivoted on said last named pin and engaged with said nut, and ahandle fast on said neck.

4. In a hydraulic inlet for Fourdrinier paper making machines, thecombination with an inlet structure, of a slice carrier pivotallymounted on the forward end of said structure and disposed forwardly ofthe top tangent point of the wire on the breast roll of the machine, asubstantially vertical thin iiexible steel slice mounted on andprojecting below the lower end of said slice carrier, means forpreventing the discharge of stock laterally of the slice carrier andslice comprising plates attached to the ends of the `slice and extendingrearwardly and overlapping the side edges of the slice carrier and theside walls of the inlet structure, and rubber shod shoes respectivelymounted on said plates in sliding engagement withthe side margins of thewire, each of said shoes comprising a metal housing open at thebottomand having a transverse internal rib and a vulcanized rubber pad fillingsaidhousing and having a transverse groove engaged with said rib and awire-engaging bottom surface disposed below the bottom of said housing;and the mounting means for said shoe comprising a threaded stud mountedin said plate and extending through said pad and its housing, and aclamp lnut on the outer end of said stud.

5. In a hydraulic inlet for Fourdrinier paper making machines, thecombination with an inlet structure, of a slice carrier pivotallymounted on the forward end of said structure and disposed forwardly ofthe top tangent point of the wire on the breast roll of the machine, asubstantially vertical thin flexible steel slice mounted on andprojecting below the lower end of said slice carrier, means forpreventing the discharge of stock laterally of the slice carrier andslice comprising plates attached to the ends oi the slice and extendingrearwardly and overlapping the side edges of the slice carrier and theside walls 0f the inlet structure, and rubber shod shoes respectivelymounted on said plates in sliding engagement with the side margins ofthe wire, each of said shoes comprising a metal housing open at bottomand a vulcanized rubber pad

